Iga Swiatek lost the second place in the WTA ranking to Indian Wells finalist Elena Rybakina, and has suffered another blow in the Miami Open: she lost in her opening match of the tournament, first time she loses in her debut after 74 WTA tournaments, starting in the WTA Finals 2021.
Swiatek, who received a bye to the second round of the tournament, lost to a compatriot, 34-year-old Magda Linette, ranked 50 in the world. It was a shock, because she won the first set 1-6, but then lost the following two sets, ending 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the second round of the tournament.
Swiatek said after the match that she hasn't "felt things like that for like five years", and that she had stopped doing anything well tactically in the second and third sets. "I'll just get back to work and try to get something positive out of the practices ... and try to figure it out."
After defeating Swiatek, Linette will next face Alexandra Eala, having won two of their three duels.